VANCOUVER, May 26, 2011 /CNW/ - Building on the success of a 480,000
signature petition launched earlier this year,award-winning public engagement organization OpenMedia.ca today released a citizen-powered report that exposes the weaknesses of
closed communications models. Titled Casting An Open Net, the report counters popular arguments by major telecom companies that
want to impose punitive pricing schemes, in which Canadians pay more
for Internet and get less. The findings are clear: there is no technical or economic justification for restricting access
to legal online content.

The report is the first of its kind: a comprehensive look at economic,
technical, cultural aspects of Internet openness, as well as Canadian
views on net neutrality and international comparisons. It shows that
the Internet's open architecture has become central to the success of
our economy, our culture and our society, but that it is under threat
by large, vertically-integrated telecom companies that seek to control,
and even to discourage, use of the Internet.

OpenMedia.ca will deliver Casting An Open Net to the CRTC Chair Konrad von Finckenstein, Prime Minister Stephen
Harper, new Industry Minister Christian Paradis, and other key decision
makers. The group is also pushing the envelope on political tactics by
empowering citizens to send the report to Stephen Harper themselves, as
well as to their local MP, using an online tool.

"The current industry-centric approach is totally unacceptable. Digital
policy has clearly not been made in the public interest," said report's
editor, OpenMedia.ca Managing Director Reilly Yeo. "This is just wrong. Canadians in
historic numbers - nearly half-a-million - have told policy makers that
digital policy matters to them, that they're paying attention, and that
they want to see changes made."

Yeo continued: "With this clear, concise, well-researched plan, our
representatives have no excuse for inaction. This report lays the
groundwork, and now it's time to move forward." The report, including
recommendations, can be found here: http://openmedia.ca/plan

About OpenMedia.ca

OpenMedia.ca is a national, non-partisan, non-profit public engagement organization
working to advance and support an open and innovative communications
system in Canada. Our primary goal is to increase public awareness and
informed participation in Canadian media, cultural, information, and
telecommunications policy formation.

About Stop The Meter

In October, Canadians were outraged by the news that the CRTC had
decided to allow Bell and other big Internet service providers (ISPs)
to impose new fees on independent ISPs - usage-based billing. Now every
Internet user in Canada is likely to feel the sting of a less
affordable Internet, and a less competitive Internet service market.
Recognizing the importance of this issue, OpenMedia.ca launched the Stop The Meter campaign.